India Canada row: AP Dhillon addresses controversy following cancellation of Shubh's tour

India Canada Row: Amritpal Singh Dhillon, the renowned Indo-Canadian singer professionally known as AP Dhillon, has taken to social media to address the recent controversy surrounding fellow Punjabi artist Shubhneet Singh, popularly known as Shubh. Shubh was originally scheduled to perform in India in the upcoming weeks; however, his tour was abruptly canceled due to allegations of his support for the Khalistan issue.

The controversy erupted after Shubh shared a distorted map of India on his Instagram handle, conspicuously omitting the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and the northeastern states.

In his Instagram story post, AP Dhillon urged people not to succumb to divisive narratives and emphasised the importance of spreading love rather than hate. He also provided insights into his own social media behaviour and the challenges artists face in the age of digital platforms.

"I try to stay out of all the social mania as it is clear to me that regardless of what I say or do, it is a lost cause... someone, somewhere is going to spin the narrative to their liking and create more division. As an artist, it has become almost impossible to stay focused on your craft and do what you love. I try to be mindful of everyone's sentiments, but it's gotten to a point where we have to second and triple guess our every move due to fear of unintentionally fueling even more division," shared the musician via his Instagram story.

He continued, "Special interest and political groups constantly use our (artists') public image as a chess piece to further their agenda, while we are just trying to make art that helps people on an individual level, regardless of their colour, race, religion, nationality, gender, etc."

AP Dhillon concluded his message by urging people to prioritise spreading love and peace and not be swayed by "man-made social constructs" that contribute to division.

The controversy surrounding Shubh

The cancellation of Shubh's tour was officially announced by the ticket booking platform BookMyShow on September 20 via X (formerly Twitter). The company also assured consumers that it had initiated a complete refund process for those who had purchased tickets for the now-canceled show. Additionally, electronics brand Boat had withdrawn its sponsorship from Shubh's India tour just a day prior to the cancellation.

The diplomatic tensions between India and Canada

The Khalistan issue has fueled diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, leading to the expulsion of senior diplomats from both countries. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused New Delhi of involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, aged 45, in British Columbia in June of the same year. India promptly rejected Canada's claims as absurd, intensifying the ongoing diplomatic row.

Also Read: BoAt ends sponsorship for Canadian singer Shubh's India tour over controversial remarks